The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds by Paul Zindel

Matilda on the other hand is a total anomaly: a quiet, shy, and inhibited creature, interested in science and animals. Ruth, the eldest, suffers from epileptic seizures. Defiant of her mother, Ruth openly mocks her in front of her classmates by performing a skit in character as Beatrice, an ironic fact given that she is most likely to end up just like her. A house as dilapidated as Beatrice herself, in her own words 'A pig sty.' Her two daughters could not be more different from each other. The state of the Hunsdorfer home practically sums up their lives.

She attempts to attract the romantic interest of her neighbour, only to brand him a 'homo' when he declines her company. Staring at herself in the mirror, it is quite obvious she does not like what she sees. In the films opening scene, Beatrice tries on wigs in a department store. Despite her lower middle-class existence, Beatrice still has some degree of vanity. The story revolves around middle-aged Staten Island widow, Beatrice Hunsdorfer as she struggles to make a life for herself and her two daughters: rebellious, epileptic Ruth and shy, introvert Matilda. Before beginning an off-broadway run spanning 819 performances from April 7th, 1970 through May 7th, 1972.

The play premired in 1964, at the Alley Theatre in Houston, Texas. Newman's sophomore directorial effort would be an adaptation of Paul Zindel's quizzically titled Pulitzer Prize winning play The Effect Of Gamma Rays On Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds. The legendary couple would co-star in ten films and Newman would direct four more starring Woodward. Starring his wife, the superbly talented Joanne Woodward with whom he would share fifty years of marriage. His directorial debut Rachel, Rachel (1968) was a hallucinatory spiral into the disconnected world of a middle-aged school teacher. But sadly his work as a director is seldom discussed outside the most ardent cineaste circles. Paul Newman is arguably the most famous actor of his generation, with celebrated roles in such films as The Hustler, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Cool Hand Luke, and The Sting among many others. 'I'm the original half-life, I got one daughter with half a mind, the other whose half a test tube, a house half-full of rabbit crap and half a corpse! That's a half-life alright.' - Beatrice Hunsdorfer

The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds by Paul Zindel